Intuition
by belladonna44
Summary: Amy has a feeling that something isn't right with Ben...and if it isn't, then what does it mean for her and Ricky? This story takes place after the mid-season finale because let's face it, who wants to wait until January 2010?
1. Chapter 1

All these characters belong to Brenda Hampton. And I'm not making any profit out of this :)

Chapter One

**Amy's POV**

Some women say that there's no such thing as 'women's intuition'.

Yeah, well maybe those naysayers are just too scared to listen to that little voice in their heads… the one that tries to give them the heads up on a situation.

Okay, maybe I didn't have this intuition before. Case in point, I didn't hear any alarm bells when Ricky was flirting with me at band camp. I didn't hear a voice in my head telling me 'he just wants sex, he doesn't want YOU'. There was no 'gut feeling' that I was about to lose my virginity to the guy, or that our momentary lapse in judgment was going to change both of our lives in a seriously EPIC way. No, I thought everything was fine.

Maybe I have women's intuition now because I've had a baby. Like, had sex and had a child. I don't think you can get more 'womanly' than that, can you? So if women's intuition is something that needs to be activated, I'm pretty sure giving birth to John was enough to trigger it.

Anyway, I'm positive that I have this sixth sense. Don't laugh, sometimes women just know things. There's no logical explanation for the way we get that inkling, that niggling feeling that something is about to happen. That something is up.

That someone is lying.

Maybe you think I'm simply being paranoid. That I'm on edge because I'm a teenage mother. No, I assure you, something is up.

Ever since Ben got back from Italy…actually, even before then…I knew something was wrong. And yeah, since I stand up for myself these days, I directly asked him whether he had cheated on me when he was overseas. He said he hadn't…but…

I didn't buy it then and I still don't buy it now.

Something is about to happen.

I just know it.

***

**Ricky's POV**

I knew something was up when Ben called in sick for work at the last minute. The guy wasn't sick. Sure, he had looked a bit pale when I bumped into him in the hallway at school earlier…but that was the way he always looked. Skinny and subdued, like a gust of wind would take him down in an instant. He was flaking out. Probably taking a stance against the whole earning money thing.

In my book, unless he accidentally sliced off his hands in a tragic cymbals accident, he was not excused from his shift just because his old man owned the place. And if there _had _been an accident with the cymbals...well he better not have gotten blood on my drum kit in the band room.

_What a wuss. _

Speaking of slicing, I was preparing a meat tray when Bunny walked over to check my progress. I had only started my shift twenty minutes ago so I wasn't really sure what she was expecting. I wasn't a miracle worker, although I did work hard. Anyway, she raised an eyebrow good-naturedly and smirked.

'You look a little cranky, Ricky,' she remarked. She pointed a finger at me. 'Take it easy or you'll end up pulverizing the meat.'

I set down another slice of ham before responding.

'Well, maybe if the _Sausage Prince_ were here I wouldn't be so annoyed about doing all this work by myself.'

'You'll manage.'

'Thank you for the vote of confidence.'

'Ha, I said _you'll manage_ not _you're in line for my__ job_,' she laughed dryly. 'What's going on with Ben anyway? He called in sick at the last minute.'

I rolled my eyes. Couldn't help it.

Not that I was trying to help it.

'Maybe he went to see Amy and John at the nursery. She'll be working until dinnertime,' I shrugged.

'Well, he sounded a little agitated on the phone. Did you get into a disagreement with him?'

She put her hands on her hips like she was a teacher telling off an elementary school kid. Okay, so a teacher wearing a hairnet and cap over her red hair…but yeah.

'No,' I said slightly defensively. 'Well, not today anyway.'

My cell phone buzzed in my pocket and I heard the particular message tone which indicated I had just received a text from Amy. Bunny heard the noise and frowned. I wasn't meant to have my phone switched on during my shifts.

Sometimes the rule worked in my favor. Any more clingy texts or needy voicemails from Adrian and it was possible that I would throw my phone into the grinder. It was my own fault she was being extra, extra needy. Ever since I let her stay the night at my place…

I had said one of the things she had wanted to hear. That I loved her. It wasn't a lie, really. _I do care about her_. But the other thing I knew she wanted to hear? That I would someday marry her and have kids with her? Hell no. I was definitely not saying that. I would take a meat cleaver to my tongue before I said anything like that.

I wanted to make sure she would continue having sex with me. Let's face it - that was partly why I said what I said. I didn't think she was going to step up the stalker routine once I said it though. I thought she would get some security out of me saying those three little words.

_Maybe she's extra paranoid about me leaving ever since she spilt her guts out about that Antonio guy. I hope we don't have to go to joint therapy again. Couples therapy is for old people…_

I was jolted out of my thoughts by Bunny.

'Turn your cell off,' she warned. 'You know the deal. You don't get concessions just because Ben isn't here.'

'Aw, but it's Amy texting me. I know because I set my phone to have a certain message tone when I receive either a text or an email from her. I got a new phone which lets me check emails as well. It's convenient,' I said. 'I'm so glad I upgraded. Cheaper plan too.'

'What is this? A Verizon commercial? Just turn your phone off, Ricky.'

'Yeah, yeah.'

I wiped my hands on a nearby cloth and took my phone out of my jeans pocket. Bunny had turned away so when I was in the process of 'turning off my phone' I just opened the text message anyway:

_Why am I hearing that Adrian thinks Ben doesn't love me anymore?_

'What?' I asked out loud.

'Phone away, Ricky!'

'Okay, okay.'

I held the off button and then shoved the phone back into my pocket. Hadn't Adrian said something to me about not being sure if Ben was still in love with Amy? What was going on here?

The strange thing about the Grant High gossip mill was that the gossip had an unusually good strike rate when it came to the truth. I would know because I've spent a significant amount of time pretending that the talk was just that, _talk_. Maybe the rumor was the reason Ben bailed on his shift. He probably figured I had heard the same rumor and was going to grill him about it.

Dammit. Now I had no choice but to follow up on this rumor. Amy had her suspicions about Ben and Italy…but Adrian had told me Ben hadn't told her anything. Right?

The last thing I wanted was an upset Amy. Her household was busy enough, even busier now with her brother just being born. I tried to imagine the errands I would be sent on…hellish, annoying errands, ones where she was punishing me instead of taking out her anger on whoever actually deserved it. _Ricky, we're out of diapers. Ricky, we need more baby wipes. Ricky, move my house a little to the left._ Although, by Amy's assessment, I deserved all the punishment I could get…

_I really hate you. Do you know that?_ Ugh, her words. Not mine.

Damn Ben the Sausage Prince. What was he up to? He better be at a florist or something, buying the girl some roses or whatever. He better not have cheated on Amy in Italy…

He better not be _breaking up_ with Amy.

_I will kick him into next Tuesday if he breaks up with her._

I shook my head and tried to focus on the task at hand. Slice the ham. Simple.

Nothing was simple around here. I was suddenly struck with a sickening feeling that something bad was about to happen.

I almost laughed out loud at myself. My gut instincts weren't that great. If they were…well, Amy wouldn't have gotten pregnant.

_To be perfectly honest, sometimes I think I know a few other truths…but I'm not going there…definitely not going there…_

I muttered a few choice words about Ben under my breath. Wasn't he supposed to be John's step-father?

'Ricky!' Bunny called out. 'How's that meat tray coming along?'

'I'm working on it, I swear.'

But the work I would have to do to calm down an upset Amy?

No one was going to pay me wages for _that_.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters – Brenda Hampton does. No profit is being made from this fic.

Thanks for reading and reviewing!

Chapter Two

**Ashley's POV**

'I think we should talk about it,' I suggested. 'About whatever is making you so cranky all of a sudden.'

Amy and I were in the kitchen, dealing with the dishes after dinner. I knew exactly what had caused her bad mood, but I was trying to be tactful by letting _her_ reveal what was wrong. This wasn't one of her 'I'm a teenager mother and I'm generally tired' moods. No, she had tried to be happier since her declaration two weeks ago that 'she couldn't go on like this'.

This was about Ben. Ben and the rumor of the day.

Sometimes I likened gossip to a dinner menu. You could take your pick. There were the usual options, the stories that were generally the same but had an update now and again. And then there were the special pieces of gossip, like 'today's special'. They weren't offered that often but when they were, you'd be best to order it before everyone else found out how good it was.

Most people would balk at the idea of being the last to know. _Gossip leftovers._

Amy hadn't been the last to know in this case. Maybe she had been the first. She'd had her suspicions since Ben was in Italy.

I needed to get Amy to open up before she had a breakdown over this. I'd told Griffin during sixth period that I probably wouldn't be able to hang out tonight and I was right. I had to stay and try to broker some calm. Dinner had been a tense affair for all us. The parentals were sleep deprived and if I didn't know any better, I'd say they'd been arguing about something. They'd been too distracted to even notice that Amy was on edge.

'I'm not cranky,' Amy said defensively.

'Sure you're not,' I said with dry sarcasm. 'And I'm trying out for the cheerleading squad. Now spill.'

'I don't know what you're talking about,' she snapped.

She rolled up the sleeves of her green cardigan in agitation and turned on the tap so we could rinse the plates. We were standing side by side, but I could still see the stress on her face. Her jaw was clenched; she was probably trying to hold back a tirade about how Ben wasn't answering his cell phone, or at the very least she was biting back a bunch of swear words.

'Turning up the water won't drown out the sound of my voice,' I remarked, picking up some cutlery.

'I don't need to drown out the sound of your voice because we're not having a conversation,' was her defiant comeback.

'Look, I know why you're upset.'

'No, you don't. Now if you don't mind, why don't we both be quiet and concentrate on loading the dishwasher?'

'The dishwasher doesn't need silence to operate. It runs on electricity.'

She had the audacity to glare at me as if I were the crazy one. I wasn't deterred.

'Amy,' I insisted. 'Can we stop pretending like the issue doesn't exist? It's like the elephant in the room right now.'

'There's no room for an elephant in here,' she shot back, accidentally banging a dinner plate onto the side of the sink. 'There's you, me, John, mom, dad, Robbie and Moose. And Ricky is coming over in about half an hour to see John. It's a full house.'

'Exactly. Let's get rid of the elephant then. What's going on with Ben?' I said, getting a bit frustrated myself. 'Okay, so he's not picking up his phone. But you'll see him at school tomorrow anyway. What's your plan? Are you going to ask Adrian about it?'

Amy was silent for a long moment. Maybe I had overstepped the line. I tried to backpedal.

'The rumor broke late in the school day,' I said gently. 'So not everyone heard, you know. If that's any consolation at all?'

She turned the tap off and turned to face me. Her bottom lip was quivering and her eyes were welling up. But she wasn't going to cry. She was probably too proud to cry. No doubt it was confusing being angry and hurt at the same time. The way she was leaning on the counter with one hand…it was a sign of both strength and weakness. She was still standing, but she was tired of the drama.

'Before he turned his phone off, all I got was a text saying that he was suddenly unwell and needed to go home instead of going to work. I think he's hiding from me. I guess I'm just going to keep trying to call him,' she admitted, exasperated. 'I called his house too but no one picked up there either…'

And then the anger started to kick in.

'…and I'm not going to go next door and ask Adrian about what she knows because it's not like I can trust a slut. Sluts are unreliable.'

'Well, they _are_ reliable when it comes to one thing,' I added, trying to make her laugh.

She did laugh, but it was a bitter laugh.

'Yeah and Ricky knows it,' she said snidely. 'Anyway, I guess I have to sign up for a showdown in the hallway. Maybe I could go over to Ben's house when Ricky gets here.'

Her fists were half-clenched. I had to be a voice of reason – angry people tended to make rash decisions. Like crashing their cars or cutting off all their hair.

'I doubt that either mom or dad would agree to drive you right now. They're in the nursery with the two babies. Well, at least I know mom is. Dad said something about making a few phone calls.'

'Maybe I could get Ricky to drive me.'

'Yeah, Ben would really love that. _Hi Ben. I've come to confront you about a rumor. Apparently you don't love me anymore. Did you cheat on me this summer? Could you hurry up and explain? Ricky's waiting in the car._ '

'Ugh, I _hate_ the waiting,' she vented. She pushed off the kitchen counter and started to pace around. She ran her fingers through her hair in frustration. 'Something must've happened in Italy. I knew something was wrong! And to think he told Adrian, of all people!'

'Do we even know that Adrian actually knew something and let it slip? The rumor could be completely false. Maybe I could go next door and ask her about it?' I offered.

'No, don't go near her.'

'Being a slut isn't contagious, if that's what you're worried about.'

Amy came to a halt. She stood on the spot and folded her arms. The look in her eyes was frighteningly sad all of a sudden.

'I can't believe I actually thought that he and I would end up married. Legally married, I mean. And that we would love each other forever. What was I thinking, suggesting we should get engaged again? Guess I'm a textbook case when it comes to being naïve, huh? First the pregnancy and then this? What's next?'

I didn't get a chance to respond because there was a knock on the door. Ricky had arrived early. Amy looked at the clock on the kitchen wall. It wasn't really anything to be mad about in the current circumstances. She took a moment to compose herself and then she went over to let Ricky in.

The first thing I noticed when Amy opened the door was how angry Ricky looked.

The second thing I noticed was that one of his cheeks was red, like he had been slapped.

'Sorry I'm early,' he said gruffly to Amy.

Amy made no move to step aside to let Ricky in. She was giving him a suspicious look.

'Er, Amy?' I prompted.

She then shook her head quickly, as if she were dispelling a few thoughts, and then stepped aside. Amy was about to ask what had happened but Ricky spoke first.

'Don't ask.'

***

**Ricky's POV**

I was being serious. I didn't want Amy to ask any questions.

I stepped into the kitchen and tried to ignore the fact that both girls were staring at the left side of my face. Funnily enough, it was easier for me to ignore people staring at me at school. At least there you could go on with your business, walk to your next class, talk to people you actually want to talk to. I couldn't exactly zone out and ignore Ashley and Amy at the present moment. I was in _their_ house.

'What happened to your face?' Ashley asked.

I sighed. Of course Ashley would ask. She was really direct sometimes.

'No comment,' I replied.

Usually I would have straight out lied or turned the tables on the questioner, but it was pretty freakin' obvious that my cheek was red. I pretended to be busy assessing the state of the kitchen, casually walking around so as to appear unfazed. It was then that I noticed that they must've been loading the dishwasher when I knocked on the door. There was an assortment of haphazardly placed plates and cutlery in the sink.

'Right,' Ashley nodded, clearly mocking me. 'Maybe you're half embarrassed about something and therefore blushing only on one side of your face.'

Amy was unusually quiet. That could be a good thing or it could be a bad thing. She was giving me a onceover, probably trying to figure out whether I'd been in a fight or something.

'Did you get into a fight with Ben?' she asked. Almost hopefully.

'Amy, seriously?' I queried, trying to play it cool. 'You think Ben would be stupid enough to fight me? I could pummel that guy in my sleep.'

'Well, you look like you've just been slapped,' Ashley observed. 'Did Ben slap you?'

I chuckled. 'Is that his signature move?'

I doubted my attempt at humor was making Amy feel any better. I was just trying to diffuse the tension I had walked in with.

'So is John in the nursery?' I asked, smiling in earnest.

_When everything else is going bad in our lives, at least we've got him._ My own words.

I desperately wanted to see my son. But I also desperately needed to change the subject. Before Amy got stuck into a line of questioning. Then I would be screwed because I wasn't sure what my plan of action was or whether I could even lie to Amy.

'What happened, Ricky?' Amy asked, sounding half-bemused and half-concerned.

_She's only concerned because __I'm John's father. _

Crap, I was stuck now. Would she get angry if I used the 'no comment' line again?

'We can talk in the living room,' Amy suggested. The hope in her voice practically screamed that she wanted to get information on Ben. I hadn't directly answered her text about the rumor; I had just texted her with the time I was going to show up tonight to see John.

'I really just want to see John,' I answered slowly, trying not to upset her.

I needed to avoid questions about Ben. And I especially wanted to avoid Amy's living room. The last thing I needed was Adrian spying on us from her kitchen window.

Amy stepped forward and I immediately sensed she was channeling the anger she felt towards Ben. She gave me a steely glare.

'I don't want you being around John if you're in a bad mood from being in a fight,' she announced.

Ashley sent me a warning glare. _Don't point out that Amy herself is in a bad mood._

I concentrated on biting my tongue. I didn't like it when Amy got all high and mighty about being John's custodian. John wasn't a bargaining chip. He was our son.

'Who slapped you?' Amy demanded to know.

I looked her straight in the eye this time. Maybe then she would understand that I wasn't in the mood to talk.

'Adrian,' I reluctantly admitted.

Her facial expression still showed she was annoyed, but I wondered whether she was happy I had gotten into an argument with Adrian. She almost appeared guilty for getting me to admit something I hadn't wanted to reveal.

'What were you fighting about?'

Now probably wasn't the best time to be telling her to mind her own business. In fact, it kind of was her business considering what Adrian and I had fought about.

I noticed out of the corner of my eye that Ashley was slowly backing out of the kitchen, meaning I would now be left alone with Amy. And with her questions. I couldn't blame Ashley for wanting to step out.

'Amy, please,' I pleaded. 'I know you've had a rough day. But I've had a long day as well and I really just want to see our son. Okay?'

She nodded in defeat. I saw her resolve weaken enough so that her eyes glazed over with tears. Those tears weren't caused by me, but I felt bad nonetheless. She just wanted answers about what Adrian had heard from Ben. Admittedly, I had those answers. I just didn't want to give them to her.

I needed to talk to Ben. I would have to track him down tomorrow. I couldn't have him breaking up with Amy. As much as I wanted to kill him, I still wanted him to stay with her.

_Best not to ask too many questions __about why I feel so strongly about it…_

'My mom is in the nursery looking after Robbie as well. I'll walk you up,' Amy said softly.

'Thanks.'

I gingerly touched my cheek when Amy wasn't looking. Adrian had been so goddamned furious when she slapped me. Which made no sense whatsoever because if anyone had the right to be angry here, it certainly wasn't Adrian.

_Ben, you cheating jerk. I'm going to find you tomorrow. _


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters – Brenda Hampton does. No profit is being made from this fic.

Thanks again for reading. Special thanks to those people who've reviewed – it's hard to tell how well the story is going without feedback.

Chapter 3

**Adrian****'s POV**

'Chica blanca, I'm sorry,' I said to Grace. 'I…I had a bad night.'

Grace had actually tried to call me last night, but the fight with Ricky had rendered me unable to talk to anyone about anything afterwards. Words had been the very cause of my pain, so why give conversation another shot?

Admittedly, I had craved silence after the argument. But the joke was on me in the end - I'd been so excited about having a great, big house that I'd failed to notice how empty it could feel. And oh how I felt that emptiness last night. All I did was lock myself in my room and cry over a tub of Ben & Jerry's ice-cream. And even when I retrieved the ice-cream from the freezer, I had to force myself not to look over in the direction of Amy's house.

That was where Ricky had gone…to Amy's house, and to Amy by extension.

'What happened?' Grace asked, all concerned. She casually leant on the locker next to mine. 'You look like you didn't get any sleep.'

She refrained from doing that thing where she got all doctor-y and invaded my personal space. I appreciated that, but at the same time (though I wouldn't admit it to her face) I wanted her to hug me. I wanted someone to hug me. Maybe if someone hugged me tightly enough, I would forget what Ricky had revealed to me last night.

'Ricky and I…we fought,' I told her, sounding pained.

I didn't want anyone else in the hallway to overhear. The last thing I needed was the gossip mill to get wind of the argument. I didn't have the strength to fight any battles today. If no one knew the truth, then no one could twist it.

'Oh no, Adrian,' she said sympathetically, putting her hand to her heart. 'What did you fight about?'

I couldn't even say it. I just looked at Grace and hoped that somehow she would be able to read my mind. It was possible that Christians didn't even believe in telepathy or ESP or whatever. I just didn't want to have to explain.

The whole school thought I was the one who started that rumor about Ben not wanting Amy anymore. The stupid thing was, if you knew me then you'd know that the last thing I'd want is for Amy and Ben to break up…

'Adrian, you can tell me,' Grace prompted. 'You know I'm capable of discussing Ricky with you. It's not uncomfortable, and you know I can be trusted.'

'I know you can be trusted,' I told her, hoping the sadness in my voice wasn't as obvious as I thought it was. 'It's just that I don't know whether I want to talk about it. I'm really hurting. It's kind of embarrassing to be this upset about something. About someone.'

Grace nodded in understanding and I shrugged my shoulders in an attempt to appear more nonchalant. I was sure she saw straight through me, but whatever. I didn't want to talk about the fight. I had gotten so upset and so angry that I had even slapped him.

What the hell was wrong with me?

_Love. That was what's wrong with me. Love mak__es people go crazy. Maybe love itself is crazy. _

I slapped him! I had turned into one of those telenovela girls. Add a bit more lip gloss and some Spanish swear words and I'd be cast straight away. Ugh. It was just that…_when it comes to Ricky, I go into overdrive. If you want something badly enough, you'll do anything to get it. And when you do get it, then you have to do anything to keep it._

'Um, so is that why Ricky isn't here today?' Grace asked me, bringing me out of my reverie.

'What? I haven't seen him this morning but I thought that was just because he's probably avoiding me,' I replied, grabbing a book out of my locker.

'So, his truanting ways aren't a result of your fight?

'No, I don't think so. I mean, it's possible that he's more upset than I thought…but…'

Grace bit her lip.

'What, Grace?' I asked in suspicion.

'It's just that a few people seem to be missing this morning,' she said innocently, touching her hair as she spoke.

I knew she wasn't telling me the whole story. Grace didn't have to act innocent. Other than the fact she lost her virginity, which was something we all regretted, she was still pretty innocent.

'A few people?' I asked, raising an eyebrow. 'I am _so_ out of it this morning. All I've noticed is Ricky's absence.'

'Maybe there's a field trip that we're not a part of…'

I was struck with an intuitive feeling, but I didn't want to voice my guess as to what was going on. Besides, my instincts were often wrong. Or maybe I was just an avid subscriber to all things denial.

'Grace, what's going on?'

Grace held her books to her chest and gave me a sheepish look.

'Amy's not here today either. And neither is Ben. '

I felt my stomach drop.

_It's always about Amy. _

_Amy. Amy. Amy._

'Well, I should've known Ricky's absence had something to do with her,' I said in renewed anger.

'It could be a coincidence,' Grace said doubtfully.

I slammed my locker door shut.

_Who am I kidding? Haven't I always known__…_

I told my intuition to shut the hell up. I then tried to swallow my bitterness. My pulse had quickened from the rush of anger so I took a few deep breaths in order to calm down. Grace was polite enough not to comment on how worked up I had gotten about Amy.

'It's not just them. Jack's not here either,' she added. 'Not that I'm looking out for him or anything. Sometimes I just can't help but notice certain things.'

'Yeah,' I nodded. 'I know exactly what you mean.'

**Jack****'s POV**

'Dude, explain to me what we're doing again?'

Ricky rolled his eyes in annoyance. The guy was really worked up. Like, _really_ worked up. Had I known this was a 'seek and destroy mission' then I wouldn't have offered to come along. Well, I still would've come along, but I would've at least asked how long the mission was going to be.

'It's a stake- out, Jack,' he pointed out, voice on edge. 'Don't you watch any action movies?'

'I'm not sure if I'm okay with this,' I admitted.

'Is it because you're a Christian?' he asked sarcastically. 'God spies on people all the time, you know.'

'He doesn't spy. He just happens to be everywhere.'

'Sounds like spying to me.'

'It's not spying if you have the right to be all-knowing,' I argued half-seriously.

'Whatever.'

As much as I hated to admit it, I would rather be here than at school. Ricky had had band practice, but the instant he found out that Ben was likely to be a no-show at school today, he was out the school doors before first period began. I ended up bumping into him in the parking lot. I had been in my SUV, freaking out about the possibility that Grace had found out about what I had done with Madison.

Madison had called me last night. It was a messed-up situation. I didn't want Grace to find out – really, I was just waiting it out for her at the moment. Surely she would come around with a little time. But right now…well, helping Ricky spy on Ben was better than dealing with everything. This stake-out was _Ricky's_ problem, not mine. I was literally just along for the ride (though I suppose I was the one driving). And Ricky needed me, you know. Ben would totally recognize Ricky's car if he peered out the window and looked far enough down the street.

'Ricky, we've been here for ages. I'm getting hungry.'

'He's gotta come out sometime.'

'Not really. He could stay inside all day. Maybe he actually _is_ sick.'

'Nah, he's not sick. Trust me.'

Ricky craned his neck to try and spot any movement in or around the house. We were parked on the other side of the street, about one house back (hey, the houses on this street were pretty big).

'Half an hour tops,' I insisted. 'We'll get food and come back, if you want.'

'Shut up, there's a cab coming this way. Act natural!'

'Act natural…'

I trailed off when I saw the cab stop directly outside of Ben's house. The cab driver got out and walked around so he could open the back passenger door for whoever the visitor was. I looked back at Ricky and saw he had a determined look on his face. He narrowed his eyes and when I looked back at the cab, I saw why.

It was a girl! And she looked to be about our age. Not that I could see properly from this 'spying' distance, but she looked pretty from here. Long brown hair, slim body, tall. She was wearing a yellow short sleeve top and a grey skirt. The girl got out of the cab, but made no move to pay the driver or get luggage out of the trunk. Instead, she walked around across the front lawn and went over to the front door of the house. She must've pressed the doorbell because soon enough, the front door opened.

Ben emerged and by the looks of things he seemed to be pleased to see this girl. She motioned back to the cab and beckoned him to follow.

'Get down,' Ricky ordered. 'We don't want them seeing us.'

'Have you done this before?'

'My life practically depends on how well this confrontation with Ben goes. So concentrate, if you can.'

'Okay, okay.'

The cab driver held the back door open for the girl, and then she must have scooted over because Ben also got into the cab.

'Don't start the engine until they're a couple houses away,' Ricky ordered.

'We're going to follow them?'

'No, we're going to sit here arguing like a married couple, discussing how hungry you are.'

'So, we _are_ going to follow them?'

'What do you think?' he replied harshly.

'I don't know what I think.'

He gave me a sidelong glance.

'And to think Grace slept with you and not me,' he muttered.

'Hey!'

'Kidding! And keep it down.'

I then heard the slam of the driver's side door. The cab was about to leave.

Before I started the ignition, I asked yet another question:

'Who is that girl, anyway?'

Ricky paused for a few moments before answering.

'That my friend, is the girl Ben had sex with in Italy.'

***

**Author's note:** Back to Amy's POV in the next chapter


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters – Brenda Hampton does. No profit is being made from this fic.

Thanks so much for reading and reviewing! I know I said this chapter was going to be a return to Amy's POV, but I decided to switch some scenes around. Hope you enjoy it!

Chapter Four

**Ricky's POV**

'So…we're at the beach,' Jack said, stating the obvious.

'Yep, seems like it,' I sighed.

The beach. _This_ was the backdrop? Of all the places I imagined this confrontation would take place…well who the hell would imagine a showdown on a beach? This was the kind of place they put on postcards, with happy slogans saying 'wish you were here'. I couldn't wish for anyone to be here, in my place, waiting around to convince someone not to break up with their girlfriend. This wasn't the stuff of vacations. It was the stuff of nightmares.

It was like life was trying to screw with me. You think I had any nice family vacations growing up? Of course I didn't. Though I guess my dad would've liked to corrupt me in such an idyllic location…

This was screwed up.

The sun was shining. The pier looked inviting. Little kids who were not old enough to be in school were running around or making sandcastles.

And juxtaposed with that, you had Ben sitting on the sand with some Italian chick. What the hell? They were just sitting on the sand, talking and acting like the world was as happy as a glossy postcard.

I could see the scene quite well from our vantage point. Jack had parked at the top of the dunes, so we were overlooking the beach. We were sitting in the car and trying to decide when was the right time for me to interrupt Ben's 'date'. I actually doubted there was a right time. Unless Miss Italy got up to go get an ice-cream or collect seashells or whatever, I would just have to go up to the two of them and demand to speak with Ben.

This could all end very badly. Even Jack knew that. God knew it too, on account of him being everywhere. I needed Grace to pray for me or something.

What I would give to temporarily have the power to be everywhere. That way I could see Amy and John right now and draw more strength from the fact I was doing this for them. I was trying to guarantee that Ben stayed in their lives. Because if he didn't, there would just be me…and I wasn't sure that was good for Amy. She hated me already – surely this would make her hate me even more_. _If I hadn't gotten her pregnant then she would've been be a normal sixteen year old, who was able to have a perfectly 'normal' relationship with Ben. She wouldn't be tentative about having sex with Ben and therefore he wouldn't have gone elsewhere for his needs. I mean, she even could've gone to Italy!

There was not much point, however, in playing the 'what if' game now. I had to focus on reality.

Things were tough enough for Amy. She didn't need a broken heart. I had to stop Ben.

'Want me to walk down with you?' Jack asked, looking over at me. 'Not that I'm saying you need backup or anything. Just, you know…'

'Yeah, alright. Make sure I don't flake out,' I said. 'And make sure I don't snap and kick his ass before talking to him.'

'Alright.'

I couldn't move. It was like someone had put lead weights around my ankles.

'Ricky?'

'Yeah.'

'You gotta do it, man. That's why we followed him all the way here.'

It took a lot of willpower to open the car door. I jumped down onto the asphalt and breathed in the salty air. Jack came around to my side of the car and then we walked across to the steps that led down to the beach. We descended at a steady pace. Ben had no idea we were here.

He looked up when we were about thirty feet away.

Did he look like a deer stuck in the headlights? Yeah, he goddamned did. Wide-eyed and not sure what to do. The girl was confused, but not overly alarmed. Well, how was she to know who I was?

Not that I paid that much attention in English class, but I was pretty sure we studied 'coming of age' stories earlier this year. There was this one story where the boy was told to shoot a deer because his dad said it would make him a man. This situation with Ben was kind of the reverse – he was a deer who needed to stop being so reckless and carefree. He needed to grow up. Otherwise I would have to be the man to shoot him down.

'Um, Ricky…Jack,' Ben spluttered. He stood up, wiping sand of his hands and shooting the girl a few nervous looks. 'What are you doing here?'

Jack let me do the talking. Maybe he wasn't such a bad wingman after all.

'This beach party of yours wasn't advertised that well,' I said smarmily. 'I wouldn't have worn jeans today had I had more notice. And I would've brought suntan lotion. Not for me, of course, but for _you_.'

Jack nudged me, probably to indicate I should tone down the sarcasm if I wanted to convince Ben of anything. The girl stood up and I couldn't help but give her an appraising look.

'Who's your lady friend?' I asked accusingly.

Ben stepped forward. His stance wasn't aggressive; it was more resigned. Tired even.

'What are you doing here?' he sighed.

I ignored him momentarily and offered a handshake to the girl.

'Ricky,' I said in introduction. 'You are?'

'Maria Josephine,' she revealed hesitantly, though she shook my hand firmly. Yep, definitely had an Italian accent. 'Or MJ for short.'

'Nice to meet you. I've heard all about you.'

Another nudge from Jack, harder this time. I couldn't help it. There was just so much going on in my head. So much pent up frustration. And I couldn't help but also think of the argument I had had with Adrian.

Ben looked like he was going to be sick.

I continued.

'So you're the girl who Ben cheated on his girlfriend with,' I remarked. 'You know, his girlfriend who has a baby…'

'Ricky, if you want to talk, let's talk alone,' Ben insisted.

I stared at him. I then looked at MJ. She didn't seem perturbed by my reference to Amy, so she clearly knew Ben had a girlfriend and she clearly didn't care. Now, I could never claim to be the patron saint of monogamy, but this was different. A kid was involved in this situation. _My kid_.

'Okay,' Jack cut in. 'You guys should talk. I'll just hang over there...near the concession stand. I'm starved.'

I nodded at him, with thanks. Ben then looked back at MJ and she took the hint and backed off. I watched as she walked to the water's edge. She seemed graceful at first, until she started to kick the wet sand as she walked. Hmmm.

'What are you doing?' Ben questioned, shaking his head.

'What am _I_ doing? Excuse me?'

When it came to me and Ben…defensive was our default position.

'Ricky, this is…'

'Please tell me you aren't about to say this is none of my business,' I shot back. 'It is my business. You're Amy's boyfriend. Remember her? Because I think you've forgotten.'

'Amy and I…it's…'

'It's _what_? I know you had sex with this MJ girl. What is this today? A transatlantic booty call? Is that how you rich guys live? Fly a girl in, fly her back out. Do you pay her in US dollars or in Euros?'

'Don't talk about MJ like that,' he warned.

'Don't talk about Amy as if she doesn't exist,' I snarled.

'I know she exists.'

'But she only exists when MJ isn't around? Would this be a bad time to crack a joke about Italian sausage?'

He looked at me with a deadly serious expression and I knew in that instant that whatever I said or did today…he was still going to break up with Amy. Once that hit me, I became desperate.

'You married Amy,' I pointed out. 'You took vows and everything.'

'That wasn't a legal marriage,' he grimaced. 'And things…things just didn't work out…'

'What are you _talking_ about?'

'I can't be with Amy anymore. I don't think I love her like I used to. I still care about her a lot. But it's just…I can see why people kept pointing out how young we were. I _married_ her and I didn't even really know what marriage was supposed to mean.'

'This Italy thing…you didn't do it in retaliation for something did you? Before you left, when I was at Amy's house that morning and you got mad for no reason? _Nothing happened._ I told you that. She told you that. If John could talk, he would tell you that too!'

'Even if nothing happened, that doesn't mean it never will.'

I ran a hand through my hair. I shut my eyes for a few moments, controlled my emotions and then opened my eyes again.

'Amy _hates_ me. She _hates_ me, Ben! When are you going to realize that? When is Adrian going to realize that? Dammit!'

'Amy doesn't hate you. You can't honestly think that.'

'I do honestly think that. In fact, she confirmed it by saying it to my face not that long ago.'

'In what context?' he challenged. 'What made her say it?'

'Nothing made her say it. It's just the way she feels.'

'Let me guess, the conversation had meandered its way to the subject of _Adrian_ and Amy got upset?'

I guess he was right on that point since I had said something about Amy not being able to control who held John…no, that wasn't the point. She would've said it anyway.

'Speaking of Adrian, what was with you talking to her over the summer?' I asked. 'You told her everything. She lied to me about what she knew. We fought about that last night, amongst other things.'

'You honestly don't see what Adrian and I have in common?'

'Don't get all high and mighty with me. You hardly know Adrian.'

'Don't you get it? Adrian and I, we're fighting losing battles. Or at least I was. I've conceded now. Maybe you and Amy should be together. It would be good for John. You guys will probably end up together.'

'_What is wrong with you?_ There's nothing going on between me and Amy!' I exclaimed. 'Look, you're supposed to be John's step-father. You told Amy you would stick by her no matter what.'

He stepped forward, which caught me a bit off guard considering he had mentioned how much I intimidated him.

'Do you remember when you told me that you were after Amy? Before John was born?' he said softly. 'And how you backed off because I could better provide for them or whatever?'

'I didn't know what I was saying.'

'It's not nice being a consolation prize, Ricky.'

'Is this about sex? MJ can give you sex? Amy is a teenage mother. Show a little understanding.'

'You're not really in a position to judge people when it comes to wanting sex.'

I fought the urge to roll my eyes. This was going nowhere fast.

'Ben, I'm begging you,' I implored, gesturing with my hands. 'Don't do this. Don't break up with Amy.'

'I have to.'

He sounded so sure of himself.

'No, you don't. Think about it, Ben…'

'No, you think about it. You're a permanent part of Amy's life. Why don't you ask yourself why you're so worried about me breaking up with her?'

'She doesn't deserve this heartbreak. She _needs_ you,' I pleaded.

'No, that's not it. You're just freaked out because if I'm not in the picture…'

His words echoed Adrian's from last night. I knew what he was getting at, but I refused to accept it as a possibility.

'Stay in the picture, I'm begging you.'

'I've made up my mind. I'm going to break up with Amy.'

I couldn't believe this had turned out to be a lost cause. Ben effectively ended the confrontation by literally walking away. I watched as he resolutely made his way over to MJ, who was at the water's edge.

This was going to change everything. This was not good.

Like I said…the stuff of nightmares.


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters – they belong to Brenda Hampton and ABC Family. No profit is being made from this fic.

Thanks so much for reading and reviewing!

Chapter Five

**Amy's POV**

I was sitting on a chair and feeding John in the nursery when Ricky suddenly appeared in the doorway of the room. I almost dropped the bottle of formula I was holding out of sheer shock. It was like those lame scary movies where you looked one way and by the time you looked back the villain had appeared out of nowhere. Okay no, that was an exaggeration. Despite the many reasons why I hated Ricky, he was not a villain of that sort. And I suppose the 'suddenness' of his appearance was probably a by-product of my inattention. I was very, very tired.

'God, Ricky!' I scolded. 'You scared me. What time is it? Why aren't you at school?'

No doubt I sounded more irritated than I should have been. I hadn't slept well the previous night. And not because of Robbie crying in mom's room. How could I have been expected to sleep when my mind couldn't stop thinking about a) what on earth was going on with Ben, and b) what Ricky and Adrian could have possibly fought about to make the latter so angry.

Ricky's tense expression softened once he saw that John was happy to see him. But when Ricky turned his attention back to me, he stiffened and seemed to be at a loss for words.

'I'm sorry,' I sighed wearily. 'You know how cranky I get when I'm tired.'

Ricky didn't even seem to be listening. There was something on his mind. I felt strange waiting for him to respond. It was like an imposter was in his skin, dressed up in his hoodie, vest and jeans. Like an imposter who was standing there thinking of what the real Ricky would say in this situation. There was almost a glazed look to his darkened eyes. Foreboding much?

'You don't have to stand at the doorway like a vampire who hasn't been invited in,' I said lightly, forcing a smile.

The smile probably came across as a hopeful grimace. What could I have to smile about? I missed school today on account of the fact I felt so drained and also because I didn't think I would be able to put up with the rumors. Yes, even though I had been talked about and talked about last school year – previously being a 'hot topic' for discussion hadn't made me immune to the perils of gossip. I was emotionally fragile at present. Yes, I had admitted that to myself during the night. There was no room for denial in this house either.

Maybe it was a cop out to not go, but Ben had texted me this morning to say he would drop by my house tonight. I had basically given myself the day off school in order to properly come to terms with what was going on. The end was surely coming. As if algebra and English lit were going to help me in this situation.

I wanted to spend the day with my son. He made me feel better about things.

'Um, it's one-thirty,' Ricky said in a measured voice.

'You cut school?' I asked, trying not to sound judgmental or hypocritical.

He still hadn't moved from the doorway. He leant on the doorframe and gulped.

'Have you come to tell me off about missing band practice?' I queried. 'I did text you to say I wasn't taking John to the Church nursery.'

I was surprised he responded straight away this time. John shifted in my arms and gurgled on hearing his father's voice.

'I don't mind you that you took the day off,' he admitted with a frown. 'I'm guessing you didn't want to show up because of Ben. You weren't in the mood to confront him?'

Ah. Perhaps that was why Ricky was acting all weird.

'I figured he wasn't going to school. Read between the lines, really. He finally texted me back this morning.'

Ricky finally took several steps into the room. He was trying to act all casual, with his hands in his pockets. But I could read him better now – I no longer fell for his pretenses like I had when we first met at band camp. Something was up.

'The guy's a wuss,' Ricky added bitterly. 'He didn't show up to school, you're right.'

He walked over and I let him take John. I remained seated in the chair whilst Ricky stood a few feet away with our son.

'Hey buddy,' Ricky greeted him. 'Have you grown since I saw you yesterday? Because you are growing up so quickly.'

'He's going to be ready for solid food soon,' I said.

'I agree.'

'Anyway,' I sighed. 'Ben _is_ a wuss. I agree with you now. He's coming over tonight. He won't send any other texts or pick up the phone, but he'll set a time to come over. Too chicken to talk to me on my terms. Too chicken to go to school. Though I guess now he's not too chicken to break up with me.'

Ricky flinched.

'You don't know that he's going to break up with you,' he implored. 'You love him. You should ask him to stay.'

'Ricky, come on,' I replied with a half hysterical chuckle. I let the pain seep into my voice now. 'It's the end. I can feel it. It's Armageddon without the uplifting Aerosmith song. It's going to be over.'

'This isn't right, Amy. You're supposed to be with Ben.'

I looked at Ricky and at the way he was lovingly holding John on his arm. There was a thought that was buried in my subconscious and lately it had been trying to rear its ugly head. Ricky was John's father. I was John's mother…

'I can't believe I pinned my hopes on that guy. He's supposed to love me. He promised to take care of John, be his step-father. And what? He just threw that away because…I don't know, because he wanted sex? Because he's jealous of you? I'm so tired, Ricky. I'm not as brave as people think.'

I was hurting in anticipation of a breakup. But I was sure that what I was feeling now would be nothing compared to what it would feel like when the breakup was official. If I thought about it, I could conjure up the same feelings of devastation and heartbreak that I had felt during previous fights with Ben. There was no doubt, however, that tonight would be different. It was going to feel like someone was slowly peeling away at my heart with a carving knife. This was bigger than a typical high school breakup. I had a son. I had had a plan. Now I was probably doomed to become a single mom. How would I ever gain back the confidence to be in a relationship with any other guy? Ben had been willing to stick by me even though I had another guy's baby. Now that illusion had been well and truly shattered. Now I was left to contemplate a harsh and ugly reality.

Ricky was looking at John adoringly and holding his little hand. Then Ricky looked down at me from where he was standing.

If a stranger had walked into my home and into this nursery they would think that this scene was a true family portrait. In some ways they'd be right, but in some ways they'd be wrong.

'Will John ever have a step-father?' I asked out loud. I pulled up my knees to my chest and hugged myself. 'Who would want to date someone with a son?'

'There are heaps of single moms who don't end up single forever,' Ricky pointed out.

I had to ask him. I simply had to go there.

'Is John ever going to have a step-mother?'

The question hung heavily in the air. Ricky looked pained. With John in his arms he was unlikely to say anything too sharp.

Here we were in a brightly lit nursery in the middle of the day, yet we were embarking on a heavy hitting conversation. Maybe the both of us should've gone to school. No, this conversation had to happen eventually, so why not now?

'You said,' I continued. 'You said I can't control who holds or doesn't hold John. So, is John ever going to have a step-mother?'

I didn't want John having another mother, no matter how fake. I didn't want Adrian around my son. I didn't want any other motherly figure there for John. He was _my_ son.

This was tough. Moreover, I still didn't really know why Ricky and Adrian had fought last night.

'I don't think I'm the marrying type,' Ricky answered carefully. 'And I don't plan on having any other kids.'

'But even if you don't get married, you're going to have girlfriends.'

'So? You're going to have boyfriends.'

Ricky was desperately clamping down on any hostility that was itching to burst out.

'You want Ben to stay with me. Do you want John to have a step-father because it lets you off the hook in some way?'

That question was met with a piercing glare.

'I take care of my son and I will continue to do so because I love him!' he half-exclaimed, not wanting to alarm John.

Ricky walked over and placed John down in his crib. He then made sure John had some toys to play with.

'I don't want him seeing or hearing this conversation,' he declared, moving for the door.

I followed his lead. I got off my chair and walked out into the hallway. Ricky closed the nursery door behind him. We stood awkwardly outside the room. The tension was suddenly palpable. Ricky pinched the bridge of his nose as if he had a headache.

And then the conversation started up again.

'I _am_ a good father, Amy! Give me some credit for once!' he said emotionally. 'I'm not trying to pawn off my responsibilities to someone else. I'm not trash and I'm _not_ a deadbeat father.'

'I'm not saying you're a bad father. I know you're putting in a lot of effort,' I argued, on the defensive. 'Answer me properly. Is John likely to get a step-mother?'

'Why do I need to answer that question? Don't take your anger over the Ben situation out on me. I'm not at fault for Ben's weaknesses.'

'You need to answer me,' I insisted, getting indignant and pointing my finger at him. 'My son needs to be raised in a good environment. I will not have him co-raised by a _slut_, you hear me?'

Ricky came up closer to me but I wasn't about to be intimidated out of this conversation. It seemed like everyone else lately was running things on their terms. Like Ben. Getting pregnant had prompted me to start sticking up for myself and my interests.

'My personal life is off limits to you,' he snapped.

'Oh yeah? You're with Adrian now. And when you're not with Adrian, no doubt you'll find some other slut to have sex with. The girls you're into are in no way worthy of being around my son.'

The glazed look in his eyes from before had been replaced with a fiery, emotional quality.

'_Our_ son, Amy. John is my son too.'

'Yeah, our son. Not the son of you, me and your whore of the month! I don't want Adrian or any other girl of that kind holding our son, taking care of our son or being within a two block radius of our son.'

'You can't control who I date.'

'John lives with me under my roof. If you want to see John, then I suggest you respect the fact that I don't want to hand him over into the hands of a whore.'

Ricky's face had reddened. The slap mark from last night hadn't fully faded yet, so that merely added to the look of offence on his face.

'You can't withhold our son like that,' he warned. 'Like I've told you before, I have rights!'

I bit my tongue on that one. He wouldn't want to go to court to fight for his rights because that would put his life under the microscope.

I was being a bitch, to some degree. But I felt really strongly about the issue.

'This isn't about custody,' Ricky declared intensely. 'We've had this conversation before and I know you want me in John's life. It's what's best for him. Now, do you think I would kick up a fuss over a guy you were dating?'

I took a few deep breaths. We both needed to calm down.

'I would only date a guy if he was capable of being a good father figure to John. Or at the very least, be trusted to take care of him,' I explained.

'Who gets to be the judge of whether your boyfriend is worthy? You. Not me.'

'Well, how would you feel if someone unsuitable was trying to be a step-father to your son?'

'Why are we arguing about this on the day your boyfriend is breaking up with you?' Ricky asked, his voice raised once again.

'Because Ben walking out today just shows that there could be problems in the future,' I cried. 'This breakup doesn't really affect John because he's so young. But what happens when he's six or ten or fourteen. What then?'

'Amy, come on,' Ricky said in exasperation. 'This isn't a problem now. Why don't you save your energy for tonight when you talk to Ben?'

'Yeah, because I want to reserve all my energy for when I get told that I am no longer wanted.'

Pity cut through the tension. Ricky tried to shake off how riled up he was by explaining why he had come over in the first place.

'I was checking up on you, to see if you were okay. And I was rewarded with this delightful conversation,' he said softly.

'I'm sorry,' I said, voice wavering. 'But you need to understand where I'm coming from.'

Tears stung in my eyes. What a melodrama. He was right - I should've saved up all this emotional energy for later.

'You need some rest. I don't care if you hate me, I'm right about that at least,' he remarked. 'I'll take care of John. You should take a nap.'

I nodded, chagrined. I felt like he had more to say, but he was holding back now.

I let the father take care of his son.

What I would give for a guy who would take care of me.


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters – they belong to Brenda Hampton and ABC Family. No profit is being made from this fic.

Hey guys! Writing the last chapter was a little strange. I find it way easier to write in either Ricky's or Ashley's POV than in Amy's. Maybe it's just cos this is my first SLOTAT fic and I need to spend more time getting into Amy's psyche. Anyway, please read and review!

Chapter Six

**Ashley's POV**

'No offence, Ash,' Griffin declared. 'But I think your household would make for great television. So much drama.'

Griffin and I were hanging out in my room after school. I had been waiting all day for the school day to finally end. Fielding questions about Amy, Ben and even Ricky had been incredibly draining. There was only so much snark I could use on people before I got tired of my own sarcasm. So my newly decorated room was supposed to be my retreat…but hilariously, I had overlooked the fact that the 'drama' at school had been purely in gossip form. _Home_ was where the action was.

'I wouldn't say that out loud again,' I said dryly. 'You should've seen Amy's face when I suggested she send in a tape to MTV for _16 & Pregnant_. She actually asked me if I was kidding. Of course I was kidding. She should know what sarcasm is. How else would she have understood anything I've said in the last thirteen years?'

'This isn't going to be good night for her, is it?'

'No, probably not.'

Griffin was looking out of the window, which had a good view of the kitchen in the main house. Amy was in the kitchen, having a conversation with mom. Both of them looked really worn out and in need of a holiday. My room could basically be a front row seat to tonight's drama. Amy had mentioned on my return from school that Ben was indeed coming over tonight.

'Shouldn't Ricky be gone by now?' my best friend asked. 'I mean, I'm sure Adrian can see that his car is parked outside your house.'

'I don't know why he's still here.'

Ricky had caused a stir by ditching today. Everyone had assumed that he'd cut school in order to kick Ben's ass.

'I feel so bad for Amy. I just feel like hugging her and making her a mix-tape of songs she can mourn to.'

'Mix-tape?' I smirked. 'This isn't 1985. I don't even think people own tape recorders anymore.'

'Mix CD then. Or Mix iTunes list. How about including Carrie Underwood's 'Before He Cheats'? Country songs are all about heartbreak and revenge, right?'

'Ha! Yeah, go ahead. Mention that to her. Suggest a song where the artist's last name is _Underwood_. She'll end up keying Ricky's car instead of Ben's. Not that Ben has a car, he has a driver. You know what I mean.'

Amy looked our way and noticed that the two of us were staring at her. We were met with a brief look of annoyance before she continued her conversation with mom.

'I wonder what they're talking about,' Griffin pondered.

'I'm guessing the topic isn't _American Idol_.'

'You're such a hater.'

'Maybe I'm tired of you humming Kelly Clarkson songs during homeroom.'

'Better than Clay Aiken.'

'I thought you liked Clay Aiken.'

'Not since he joined the cast of Spam-a-lot on Broadway.'

We stopped our bickering when we saw that Ricky had entered the kitchen. He was still here.

The question was _why_.

**Anne****'s POV**

'Oh, you're still here,' I commented when Ricky entered the kitchen. 'You don't have work this afternoon?'

'Nah, it's my afternoon off,' he explained.

I looked from him to my daughter and quickly ascertained that they must have had some sort of disagreement or a heated conversation, at the very least. Amy refused to directly look at him. Ricky seemed to be intent on ignoring the fact he was being ignored. He crossed his arms and made no move to leave the room, let alone leave the house. As I understood it, he had also missed school today.

_Wow, it's like they're in a bad marriage. _

Amy shot me one of those petulant teenager looks, as if she wanted me to tell Ricky to leave. She had just told me that Ben was coming over tonight and that there was a high likelihood that they would be breaking up. She was sinking quickly into an unstable mix of resignation and anger. Before Ricky had walked into the kitchen she had asked me whether I had known she and Ben were doomed, and whether that was why I had advised her that marriage was not an option for someone as young as her.

It wasn't my place as a mother to be crushing the dreams of my children. Yet on the other hand, I suppose I had some responsibility to impart the wisdom I had acquired from my own life experiences. Love wasn't an easy thing, and a lot of teenagers out there had the wrong idea about love. They didn't know what the word meant. But then again, breaking up and making up was a part of growing up. You had to learn some things by experience.

'So, are you sticking around or heading home?' I asked Ricky politely.

Ricky didn't hesitate when he responded.

'I think I'll stay a bit longer, if you don't mind. I can help look after both John and Robbie. I mean, only if that's okay with you, Mrs Juergens.'

'What if it's not okay with me?' Amy asked in a clipped tone.

'Amy, don't be rude.' Ricky really was trying to be a good father. Though I could see where she was coming from…she wouldn't want Ricky here in the house when Ben dropped by…though at this stage Ben wouldn't be coming around until after dinner, which was still hours away…

'I'm not being rude,' she grumbled. 'Ricky is just staying out of pity. I don't need pity.'

'I'm not staying out of pity,' he argued.

'Guilt then.'

'Not today.'

Amy rolled her eyes and then finally faced him. How was I supposed to mediate this?

'School's out for the day,' Amy pointed out. 'That means a certain neighbor of mine is probably waiting for you.'

'Nice. You're trying to bait me into leaving.'

'Hey guys, let's cool it,' I advised with a smile. 'We're all friends here, remember?'

I was pretty much ignored. Oh, the joys of being the adult in the room (although technically Ricky was emancipated).

'Thankyou for looking after John so I could have a nap,' Amy said to him. 'I've had my nap. So you can go.'

'And to think I thought you'd be more agreeable after getting some rest,' Ricky replied. 'Sleep is supposed to refresh people.'

'Sleep?' She raised an eyebrow. 'As opposed to sleeping around?'

Ricky ground his teeth but did not take the bait. I had to give him credit for that. Amy was clearly in a bad mood. Maybe it would be better if he just left. Ricky and I exchanged looks. I felt a little sorry for him in this instance.

'Mrs Juergens, do you know when Mr Juergens is getting home from work?' he asked.

'Probably after five.'

To be honest, I wasn't looking forward to George's return.

We had been fighting over the fact that he thought Robbie was possibly David's son and not his. I mean, really. I was trying to enjoy the fact I had brought a life into the world. I didn't want to get embroiled in a paternity dispute. The adult thing to do, however, might be to get a DNA test and confirm that I was right. George was paranoid. The timing meant that Robbie was his.

Uncertainty in the form of fully fledged doubt could be very dangerous in a relationship. Sure, George and I were divorced, but we lived under the same roof. We had a son together.

I looked at both Amy and Ricky. Those two also had a son together. That was something permanent. Even if they weren't _in_ a relationship with each other, they still had _a_ relationship. It would be better for them, and for John, if they weren't so adversarial with each other.

'I want to have a follow up chat with Mr Juergens about something,' Ricky informed me.

'No,' Amy said defiantly. 'Wait, a _follow-up? _What did you talk to him about?'

'You're full of questions today. I feel like I'm on _Jeopardy_,' Ricky said.

'Alex, I'll take _Ricky Underwood's Motives for $200_,' Amy replied, pretending to be on the show.

A staring contest ensued. A battle of wills. Realizing that this was already a bad day for Amy, Ricky relented.

'Maybe another time then,' Ricky conceded. 'If things end up…if tonight is too much for you to handle, Amy, then you should call me. I don't care what time of night it is. I'll look after John while you…um…'

'Grieve?' Amy said stiffly.

'Yeah, whatever.'

Ricky nodded at me and then went out the kitchen door.

'I'm guessing you don't want him around because of Ben?' I asked Amy.

She went over to the fridge to fix herself a pre-dinner snack. Because of this I didn't see her face when she replied:

'Yeah, something like that.'

Something told me there was more to it than that. I didn't ask her why she and Ricky were so at odds today. It wasn't like she was going to be upfront about it. It was hard enough for her to admit to me that Ben was walking out on her.

I sighed inwardly. _Teenagers and their secrets. _

**Ashley's POV**

'Looks like Mr Underwood has left the building,' Griffin observed.

'It would be kinda cool if my household was the subject of a reality show. At least then _someone_ would be able to get inside everyone's heads. You know, how people on a reality show are happy to tell the audience what they really think and how they really feel, but heaven forbid they fess up to the other people actually on the show.'

Ricky had looked perturbed when he had left the house.

'I'm going to ask him where he was today,' I decided.

I rushed out of the garage and into the driveway in order to catch him in time. Griffin followed me without question.

_Huh. It's kinda __handy to have friends sometimes. Is this why people always believe in having backup?_

'Ricky!' I called out just as Ricky was about to get into his car.

He stopped and turned around. He leant on his vehicle like the token brooding bad boy from a teen movie would. He was honestly such a poser sometimes. It astounded me that some girls couldn't see through his macho act.

'Ashley,' he greeted. 'Griffin. What can I do for you?'

'Is it true?' Griffin asked with a smile, like a sneaky reporter trying to get the scoop. 'Did you track down Ben and beat the living daylights out of him? People say you brought Jack as backup!'

'Not exactly,' was the evasive reply.

'Why'd you ditch then?' I asked.

'I had to talk to Ben. Don't tell Amy that.'

He was at least a little concerned about Amy, whether he wanted to admit it or not. Sure, he'd probably say he was looking out for John or for himself, but…

'We won't,' Griffin reassured. 'But, off the record now, how'd it go with Ben?'

'Not that great…'

He trailed off and it didn't take long for Griffin and I to realize why.

Adrian had come out of her house and was heading straight for her man.

'Do we want to watch the _Ricky and Adrian Show_?' Griffin whispered in my ear.

'Well it could be one of those _it's so bad, it's good_ shows. But somehow, I don't want to get caught in the crossfire.'

And I certainly didn't want to be slapped by Adrian.

The two of us stepped back from the impending scene and hoped Amy had no reason to leave the house at the present moment.


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters – they belong to Brenda Hampton and ABC Family. No profit is being made from this fic.

Thanks for reading and reviewing! Sorry this chapter is a little short.

Chapter Seven

**Ricky's POV**

'What is this? Round 2?' I asked Adrian with casual disdain. I pretended to check the time on my watch. 'You should've given me more notice. There are things I could have TiVo-ed.'

'You don't have TiVo, Ricky,' Adrian shot back. She strode up to me and put her hands on her hips. 'And I guess if there was something worth watching, you'd watch it here at Amy's house.'

Griffin and Ashley had already backed away. Shame. I could've done with an audience – maybe that way someone else would see how _crazy_ Adrian was acting. I stood my ground, literally, and continued to lean on my car. Adrian backed up a step or two so that she was standing on the cement of the Juergens' driveway. Maybe she needed more room for some theatrical hand gestures or something. Or maybe for the backswing of another slap.

'Well it would've been handy if I'd recorded last night's conversation,' I said. 'Because I'm guessing this little confrontation here is going to be a bad rerun.'

Adrian pursed her over-lip-glossed lips and then nodded in that _I-knew-we-weren't-over-this _kind of way. I hated it when girls acted like that, as if they were so sure that I was incapable of understanding where they were coming from. Amy was guilty of that too. I couldn't stand it. I knew where Adrian was coming from, alright – a little place I liked to term the 'Land of Insecurity'. Just because her mother was a flight attendant didn't mean she had to make so many goddamn trips, if you know what I mean. Gave a whole new meaning to the term _trippin'_.

'Yeah, let's recap last night then,' she said aggressively.

'Is there going to be a slow motion replay of when you slapped me in the face for being honest?'

'How about we show that again in real time?'

'I don't know. I'm a fan of slow mo. I can put on that low, warped voice whilst coming very slowly coming to the conclusion that I'm being bitch-slapped for no good reason.'

I knew Adrian was still extremely upset. I would bet a month's wages that she had been crying and crying over our argument. Now she was overcompensating with all this anger. It was a front. She was trying to act tough. No doubt some of this hostility, if not all, was triggered by the fact she now knew I had spent time at Amy's house instead of being at school.

The theatrical hand gestures started.

'No good reason? No good reason? _No good reason_?!'

'I said slow motion, not repeated playback.'

'You basically admitted to me that Amy means more to you than I do,' she yelled.

Her voice caught on the last few words, which showed how vulnerable she was feeling. Despite my knowledge of this vulnerability, I really didn't appreciate the way she was yelling the accusation in front of Amy's house.

'I did not say that,' I clarified. 'You're twisting my words.'

'You mean the words you used when you said that there's a higher chance of you getting married to Amy than there is of you marrying _me_?'

'What are you, a reporter? There's a little something called context that you may want to consider. You know I'm not going to promise you that I'm going to marry you. I'm not going to say things I don't mean just so that you'll continue having sex with me. Amy is the mother of my son. If some crazy law was passed demanding that everyone get married then I would consider marrying her because of John. And you're forgetting two important things. One, I really don't plan on having more kids. And two, Amy _hates_ me.'

Adrian was fuming yet again. Jealousy was a pretty dangerous emotion.

'As I've said to you before, let's just see how things go,' I added. 'You're so insecure. You know I love you.'

'No, I don't really know that. Sometimes I feel like you're hiding something from me. Like how strongly you really feel about Amy. The girl ruined your life. And I told her that to her face.'

This time it was my turn to fume.

'You had no right to say something like that,' I said through gritted teeth. 'Don't talk about John in that way, no matter how indirectly.'

'You said it when you first found out she was pregnant. You said she was a girl you hardly knew who was ruining your life by having a baby.'

'That was _ages_ ago. Things change. If we're going to retread the same ground we covered yesterday then why don't I bring up the fact that you lied to me about Ben? I mean, that was the subject that started the fight. You withheld that information from me for your own selfish reasons! Don't blame me for all our trust issues!'

'Come on,' Adrian argued. 'What was I supposed to do? One, I was sworn to secrecy. Two, why would I want Amy and Ben to break up? Telling you what Ben had told me would've broken them up. It was Ben and his two sidekicks, what are their names…Alice and Henry…who let slip about Ben not being in love with Amy anymore. It's ridiculous that people still think it's me who spread that rumor.'

'Well, Amy and Ben _are_ going to break up,' I revealed with annoyance. 'I spoke with Ben today.'

'You did?'

'Yeah, I did. Now if you'll excuse me, I was about to drive home. I'll call you tomorrow, even if you're still angry. Let's face it, you and I can't go three days without sex.'

'I am _not_ having sex with you if we're in a fight.'

'Yeah right.'

We exchanged angry and disbelieving looks. I then went around to the driver's side of the vehicle and got in. I shook my head. I glanced at her one more time through the passenger side window and then I turned my attention back to the road.

I was tired of talking about the same things over and over. As I drove back home I again realized that I wanted to talk to Mr Juergens about something. Something that wasn't the same conversation, but an extension of a previous conversation. In light of Amy's words to me today, which had further revealed her own insecurities and issues, I had a few things to think about.

I guess I had a few things to work through in therapy this week with Dr Fields.

Sex and therapy…I had said previously that they were the two things I cared about the most.

_Well there __are two people who I probably should've factored into that kind of ranking. Wait…two? No, there's one. John. That's it._

I turned up the radio. I needed to drown out the sound of my own thoughts.

***

**Adrian's POV**

I walked back into my house feeling positively infuriated. He had no idea how much it _hurt_. How much it destroyed me to know that no matter how hard I tried to show him that I loved him, my efforts would always be overshadowed by Amy and her role in his life. He had cut school in order to talk to Ben and to take care of Amy in her time of need.

_He __probably does care about me. But he wants sex, not a lifetime commitment. _

Yeah, on some level maybe I did know I was kidding myself. I just couldn't bring myself to give up knowing there was a chance that he would realize one day that I really was the one for him. Thing was…

_Amy may say she loves Ben, but that's over now. With Ben out of the picture, it's just a matter of time before I'm kicked to the curb._

Amy and Ricky. Ricky and Amy.

_It's inevitable._

***

**Author's note**: There will probably be a time jump after this chapter.


End file.
